30 Year 12 Latin and Classical Civilisation students had a spectacular trip to Paris. We visited the major Roman sites of Lutetia, the Gallo-Roman predecessor of modern-day Paris, as well as viewing the classical art and architecture around the city.
We enjoyed a three-course lunch served by a Michelin star chef at the restaurant on top of the Eiffel Tower, as well as dinner at the famous Hard Rock Café.
We visited the Roman Baths at Cluny to view the frigidarium (cold room) with its friezes, statues and pillars erected by the Parisian boatmen in honour of the emperor Tiberius. Students discussed the syncretism of Gallic and Roman culture, and explored the rest of the museum with its focus on classical and medieval Paris. Next, we took the funicular railway up to the Sacre Coeur and enjoyed views of the beautiful panorama from outside the church. We descended the 300 stepped staircase, now immortalised in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’.
We toured around the amphitheatre of Lutetia, once home to 10,000 spectators cheering on gladiatorial combats, animal fights and ancient theatre. We saw the animal caging, tiered seating and entranceway for the gladiators, and had the entire arena to ourselves as it was early in the morning!
Following a visit to the Arc de Triomphe, Miss Ferstman and Mr Morrison led a viewing of the classical art and antiques in the Petit Palais, discussing the mythological stories depicted by Rubens, Waterhouse, Dorigny and many more. We then had free time to explore the beautiful colonnaded gardens of the museum.
Students successfully navigated the labyrinthine Metro system of Paris and had some down time in the Pacman-themed hotel in which we were staying, which turned out to also be the base for the ball boys of The French Open.
We finally boarded the last Eurostar home back to London St Pancras, with memories to last a lifetime.
Thank you to all the Year 12 students who attended the trip – a fantastic cohort whose intellectual enthusiasm and behaviour around Paris were first-rate.
Mr Morrison, Teacher of Classics
Year 12 Classics Trip to Paris
